


Stained with love, names are, names change in association

by TFALokiwriter



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Cute, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Love, Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27370522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: The fic where Jamie tells Dani her last name.
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Kudos: 107





	Stained with love, names are, names change in association

**Author's Note:**

> First three words come from a sappho poem and then I wrote the other bit off the bat to fit with the theme of her name also information regarding Jamie's last name came from Amelia Eve, Jamie's actress; https://twitter.com/vmeliveve/status/1319298697864171521

Jamie Taylor lost her little brother, after a accident, lifting a hot boiled pot -- wound on her shoulder -- and they were separated.

Her brother's name was changed and she couldn't find him.

She opted not to say Taylor, it had history, _bad_ history associated.

It was just Jamie.

* * *

"First house."

Dani was strewn on the mattress with Jamie, happily, over the fact that her second house was with a woman instead of a man. It felt so right. With someone so significant, someone who understood her so well, someone that she wanted to spend every moment of her life and loved Jamie the way that Jamie loved Dani. Jamie owned Dani's heart in the way Dani owned Jamie's heart but wasn't quite legal in terms of legal ownership.

"As a girlfriend."

"Poppins, has living on clouds been your favorite thing?"

"PPphhh, no." Dani shook her hand. "Never has been." She looked toward the ceiling. "Really lonely up there."

"So the ol' stalker boyfriend is gone. Really gone."

"Totality." Dani said. "Coooompletely."

Jamie gently but softly stroked the back of Dani's head.

"Clayton." Jamie said. "My girlfriend is wonderful Dani Clayton."

A train of thought briefly nagged the gardener, her mind elsewhere, distracted by a otherwise harmless thought.

"Is something wrong?" Dani asked, concerned.

Jamie shrugged.

"Eh, no." Jamie said. "Not as significant as you are."

Dani smiled then planted kisses along Jamie's neckline and the gardener laughed then rolled off the mattress with Dani.

The women laughed, chuckled, and giggled.

_Blissfully._

* * *

"I haven't really told you my name."

Dani looked toward Jamie at the sudden announcement a few months into living in their shared apartment. Dani paid the bills, Jamie owned it and decorated it. The apartment wasn't quite a fancy one but it was small, neat, and tidy; the walls didn't have that tight feeling around people at night like it did at Bly Manor. It all felt quite right, homely, and the walls breathed in and out instead of remaining inhaled at night.

That was the general feeling that allowed Dani to feel it were right. It was all so different, freeing, and happier that way. The sudden announcement from Jamie was a shocker that caused her to have some pause -- all the hard work that was done to set up the flower shop, going around the world, adventures and all, experiencing the happy ending that they deserved for a few months leading to picking a place to stay and live.

"Your name is Jamie."

"No, moron." She playfully punched Dani's shoulder. "That is my name."

"Oh," Dani rubbed her shoulder with a pout. "I always thought it was Jamie Garden . . . like Olive Garden."

Jamie burst out laughing, throwing her head back, throroughly amused.

"Wishful thinking." Jamie said. "Wishful thinking."

"What is your last name?" Dani asked.

"It's a stupid last name."

"Not stupid to me."

"It's. . . you'll laugh."

"Never."

Jamie sighed.

"It's Taylor." Jamie confessed, reluctantly. "All that baggage," She played with her fingers. "all that bad history," her gaze was lowered on to her lap. "it always followed me around and I got pitied upon. Didn't need that." Dani's features softened then nodded along. "So I . . . never really put it into writing."

It was quiet between them once the dust had settled.

"Jamie Taylor." Dani repeated. "Sounds awfully cute."

"A piece of rubber it is." Jamie muttered.

After a moment of consideration, Dani flipped over on to Jamie.

"When we can get married; you can take my last name." Dani said.

"Never gonna happen, Poppins." Jamie said with a smile and very turned on.

"Thought I was never going to meet a woman who liked me and wanted to live with me and love me; but look, we're here." Dani stroked the side of Jamie's face with care and affection as her fingers drifted to beneath the gardener's chin. "Anything can happen."

"Anything?" Jamie asked.

"Anything." Dani smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear with a smile. "Anything short of living a living-death."

Jamie laughed, the discovered story of their guest more known than how long that Dani had.

"Then let's make Taylor a name with so much goodness, so much loving association, and a good story." Jamie said.

Dani smiled then leaned forward and began smooching Jamie's skin as the gardener's hands drifted to Dani's back then rested there.

* * *

The power went out unexpectedly in their apartment. Jamie traveled through the apartment after a rough night meeting up with the other tenants of the rental complex at the manger's front door. It was all irritating but so much full of pity and sympathy for someone who had completely forgot to update the electrical system and hadn't left a bunch of traps for rats that happened to short out the system in little less than a week.

Dani had opted to return to the apartment with her big flashlight, all alone, while Jamie waited to be informed. The door creaked open into the apartment then she set her jacket on the coat hangar.

"Jaaaammmmmmmiieeeee Taaaayyyyyy---lluuu---eerrr."

Jamie closed the door behind her as she searched in the dark.

"Who's there?"

She held up her fists as she wandered through the apartment.

"Jaaaaammmmmmmmiiiieeee Taaaaaaaayyyyyyy leeeeeeerr."

She turned from side to side.

"Show yourself!"

It was silent for a long moment.

"JAAAAMMIIIEEEEE TAAAYYYYLLLEER."

The uneven, hoarse, spine tingling voice echoed in the bedroom so Jamie charged with her fists forward and a shriek head first into the dark down the corridor spotting a figure ahead of her. Instead of crashing into the wall, Jamie crashed into the figure on to the floor.

Jamie flipped over on to the figure's side then flicked on her flashlight as a familiar cackle came from the figure and she aimed the beam upon the face. It was Dani, who was now laughing, tears on her skin as she started to turn on to her side so Jamie withdrew. 

"Dani! Oh my God--I could have beaten you up."

Dani was hurled on to her side, smacking her fist on the floor, her figure shaking.

"What did I fall in love with, again?"

"A-a-a-a-a--" Dani struggled to speak between her laughter. "--Jungle!"

"You bet your heavenly arse I did!" Jamie said.

Dani ceased to laugh and admired Jamie.

"Next year, it will be your turn to scare me." Dani said.

"It'll be hard to out do you, Poppins." Jamie said.

"Never, Jamie Taylor." Dani shook her head. "Snuggle on the floor?"

"Snuggle." Jamie opted.

And Jamie lowered down to her side where they fell asleep together.

* * *

It's their first Christmas; they have a small Christmas tree made of a bush that Dani had rescued and set about in their living room. The bush is decorated in plastic flowers, cars, houses, and pieces of their adventures littered it including hearts that range in color from dark to bright. It's their first Christmas in their own place together, the first step as a couple, the first part that affirmed their union and partnership being together until the bitter end, and one that made Dani smile.

Jamie came out of their shared bedroom, rubbing her eyes, tying up her night robe approaching the far younger woman. Jamie leans against the frame admiring Dani staring at the small but large bush that was inside of a big pot and had a lamp overhead. It was their little ugly but pretty Christmas Decoration that required watering like any other plant and Dani was holding the large watering bucket in her hand admiring the bush that was decorated in multiple colors.

Jamie approached Dani, slowly, then wrapped her arms around the former au pair's waist.

"Morning, Poppins."

"G'mornin'."

Jamie planted a kiss on to the side of Dani's neck, Dani smiled then clenched on to Jamie's hand, standing there for a long time. Dani ended the moment by setting the water bucket aside then took Jamie to the Christmas bush where they sat down seating there with their legs crossed. There were two stockings full of material that they liked to use going down from pairs of gloves, mascera, new batteries, fingernail paint, an so on.

Jamie took out a large box from underneath the makeshift bush, gently shook it with one ear pressed against it, inspected the shape of the box as Dani seemed confused staring back at it as her partner read the label. Dani was the most noted member of the duo who was shocked to see it there.

"From Santa to Miss Jamie Taylor." Jamie read out loud.

Jamie looked toward Dani.

"I didn't wrap that or put it there." Dani said. 

Jamie grinned.

"Santa must have decided to visit us after we found each other, huh?" Then Jamie huffed. "Thinks I was too on the down low to get a present in the worst time of my life? That jerk. That bugger, didn't apologize for leaving me in the wind for decades."

"Santa Clause couldn't give you what you wanted the most." Dani observed. "Your wish was too great."

Jamie thought it over for a moment, looking aside, back.

"Yeah, it was." Jamie agreed.

"Open it, open it, open it!" Dani Dani pressured, hopping where she sat, excited.

"Fine, fine, I'll open it." Jamie said.

Jamie ripped open her package then opened the box and took it out.

"It's a flower pot!" Jamie looked inside, spotting a few seeds, extracted them, then carefully inspected the flowerpot. "With MY name!"

Dani eyed at the seeds in Jamie's hands.

"Are those moonflower seeds?" Dani asked. 

"Yes." Jamie confirmed with a nod. 

"And there's two." Dani noted. 

"Just two." Jamie said. 

Dani pouted looking upon the contents of the box.

"That's not a lot of moonflowers."

Jamie looked toward Dani, lifting her brows, in surprise.

"Two is better than one, don't you think, Poppins?" 

"It is." Dani replied. "It is just that . . . It must be lonely just to have two of them." She carefully extracted the seeds then shifted her gaze upon Jamie. "Remember, you grew more than two moonflowers?"

Jamie wrapped her hands around Dani's hands.

"I like two." Jamie said. "Just two." She patted on the side of Dani's cheeks, smiling softly, with fondness upon the former au pair. "That's the best we got and the best we can work with." Her hands strode down back to Dani's hands and gently held them. "Long as they got each other, they aren't lonely."

Dani beamed, touched.

"I love you, Jamie Taylor."

It's a name that has no baggage, just positivity, just love, just good, just good associations helping people pick out the right plant and be seen in a good light. Jamie loved that bit.

"I love you MORE, Dani Clayon." Jamie patted on Dani's hands. "Open your gift, Poppins." Jamie said. "Show us what the big man in red left."

The box was slightly larger than the rest so she opened it with care, sliding the material off the box, neatly, then opened the box up to discover a transparent large fish bowl that had colorful material and two goldfish. Dani extracted the bowl with both hands as she stared in awe watching two mystery snails laying on top of a toy mansion with a treasure chest across from it and a tiny nearby similar to Bly Manor.

The women stared at the fish bowl for the longest time until Jamie peered into the box and found the snail food waiting at the bottom including a small letter tucked beside the edge of the fish bowl.

"Dear Dani Clayton," Jamie read. "These are snails."

"Cute snails." 

"Long as you seek the brand of snail food left in this container and clean any additional decorations, you will only have two. Sincerely, Santa Clause." Then Jamie proceeded to laugh. "Ho. ho. ho. Merry Christmas!"

Dani looked at the snails that were staring right back at her.

"They look quite content." Dani said.

"Very content with the way things are going." Jamie said.

"Like us." Dani leaned against Jamie's shoulder.

"Quite like us." Jamie chuckled as she looked upon Dani, affectionately.

"Jamie Taylor," Dani whispered. "What did you get me for Christmas?"

"It's right over there." Jamie pointed toward the long box.

Dani got up to her feet then came to the long box and picked it up.

"Shotgun? Rifle?" Dani asked Jamie. "Pogo stick?"

Jamie smirked.

"Open it."

Dani looked with widened eyes then proceeded to carefully remove the wrapping and extracted the lid--

"A umbrella?" Dani looked toward Jamie then beamed. "For me?"

Jamie grinned as she nodded.

"It took me a while to find the one that leaped at me, sung, and ran away soon as it were overwhelmed with distressing feelings."

Dani's mouth fell.

"However your mum makes it look finding one; wasn't easy."

Dani's expression changed from shock to glee.

"It's pastel." Dani slid her fingers underneath the umbrella, pressed the button, twirled the opened umbrella, and laughed. "I love it!"

Jamie smiled, holding on to the pot, laughing watching her partner twirl. Abruptly, the umbrella closed and Dani charged after Jamie. Jamie nearly crashed to the ground, catching Dani in her arms, then proceeded to laugh holding on to the younger woman in her arms. All was right and that was fine with their plants, their snails, and with their surprising set of umbrellas that they got for each other.


End file.
